What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Gallina]

I am getting really fed up with rats. I thought I had solved the problem by putting my Eglu on slabs, but something has still got under the Eglu and made an attempt to get through the nest box hole, breaking open the double layer of plastic, which I assume spoils the insulation.

 

Can anyone suggest anything I can spray in the hole to seal it up, please? I think there is some expandable foam stuff that plumbers use, but wouldn't the hens eat it? Or does anyone have another idea?

 

I have ordered two ex-battery hens, and apart from anything else I am worried that they are going to be cold in an Eglu with a hole in January.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Don't know how you'd find one but what about a bung of some sort? The kind that a science lab might use for glass jars etc? I could have a look at my school to see if I can find anything along those lines.

 

Edit: a quick look on Ebay came up with this. Haven't measured the eglu hole so don't know if it would fit, but there seem to be a few things along the same lines on offer on Ebay.

[Redwing]

The bungs for demijohns used in winemaking may be about right. Champagne cork perhaps??

 

I have weldmesh under the Eglu and run to stop any tunnelling.

 

I found a big wodge (technical term ) of wool type stuff in a bale of Aubiose that I bunged the hole up with as because of the weldmesh I didnt need to stop anything getting in but just wanted to fill the hole.

[The Dogmother]

I have issues with the long slot in the nest box of the cube - all the Aubiose comes out when the girls scuffle sround when laying. I tried bunging it up with newspaper but that got pecked out. The Boy made me a lovely invention with a strip cut from a plastic milk bottle and a couple of bolts and washers to weight it down. It works perfectly and I can take it out for cleaning. I will try to get some pictures later. You could do something similar for the eglu I guess

[Gallina]

Thanks for your ideas. I hoard old corks and was able to try a champagne cork, but it fell through the enlarged hole.

 

A milk top more or less fits in. I think it will get pushed through pretty quickly, but at least it gives me a good template.

 

Does anyone actually feel the need for a hole in the nesting box of either the Eglu or the Cube? I just find it a nuisance, and with the Eglu the rats think it was put there specially for them.

[BarbaraJ]

When i saw the hole in the cube i did wonder how to cover it to stop the aubiose falling through.

[ubereglu]

Does anyone actually feel the need for a hole in the nesting box of either the Eglu or the Cube? I just find it a nuisance, and with the Eglu the rats think it was put there specially for them.

 

I find the one in the eglu very useful, as it means I can pour in water from the watering can to rinse out the muck that the hens leave and it will go straight out. I have to agree about the cube one though, why does it have to be so big? Surely a system of smaller ones would be better?

[The Dogmother]

I agree that say 3 smaller holes would be better than the slit.

 

Here's Phil's solution to the problem - worked well and it's still in place tonight

 

 

[Phoebe]

Hmm. will have to work on this. I tried newspaper this week under the wood shavings but the hens appear to have taken the paper out and shredded it, allowing shavings all to fall out on the ground. Sigh...

[BarbaraJ]

do the bolts hold the plastic in place by just pushing them into hole?

[The Dogmother]

They weight it down so that it sits in the hole without skidding around and because they hang down they seem to hold it down too. There aren't any sticky up bits for the hens to get hold of and pull it out... still there this morning

[alison]

I have a piece of clear plastic drawer liner from Ikea in mine, it is slightly bobbled one side and smooth the other, it is also for storing glasses on in cupboards. I can lift the whole thing up and sluice if off if need be.

 

Mine came on a roll and can be cut to size http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10109491

[BarbaraJ]

ooo i like that idea alison even easier though the other is free if hubby has any nuts and bolts which i doubt

[buffie]

I agree that say 3 smaller holes would be better than the slit.

 

Here's Phil's solution to the problem - worked well and it's still in place tonight

 

 

 

 

Sorry clare I keep doing that. Editing instead of quoting (mod.... me )

 

Anyway here we go again...

 

Mine like to roost in the nest box so I've added the large eglu plastic bars, they now have an extended area. I use newspaper under the bars.

 

 

 

Buffie x

[alison]

Any offcut of floor vinyl or lino will do the same job, ask for some on your local frecycle!

[The Dogmother]

@ Buffster

 

I used the smallest tubtrug in the round hole to the nest box.... fits a treat